Yellow Tape And Tears

Chapter Two

Betty's POV

I was sitting on my bed thinking as I watched Jughead get ready to head to the morgue to start our investigation. I realize that I'm suffocating my pain by focusing on the investigation but I don't know how to grieve. I didn't have to grieve for my father, I hated him and knowing that he is dead and isn't the one who killed my mother is a huge relief. I wonder if anyone has told Polly that our mother died. I hope they didn't, she couldn't handle it anyway.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by Jughead coming up to me and crouching down to my level. "You ready to go Betts? If this is too much for you and you don't want to go that's fine Betty, she only died yesterday..." His voice trailed off as it hurt him too that she died.

"I'm fine Jug really I am, I was just thinking about Polly. I'm ready if you-" I started but was cut off by phone ringing. The phone lit up reading 'Archie' so I answered it.

"Hey Betty... How are you um.. doing after yesterday?" He said stuttering into the phone.

"Hey... I'm ok. Jug and I are headed to the morgue to start investigating. Do you and Veronica want to meet us at Pop's when we are done?" I answered thinking that maybe they wouldn't mind helping out with the investigation.

"Yeah sounds good, we'll meet you there." Archie replied.

I hung up the phone and turned to Jughead who had a very puzzled look on his face. I normally would have asked him what the look was for but I really just wanted to get out of the house and to start investigating before I lost it again. So many horrible things have happened in this town and my way of coping has always been investigating and nothing has changed.

We reached the morgue after walking a couple of blocks and when we stood outside the large, dark building it hit me. My mother's dead body is in there, my mom's dead. I could feel my eyes getting glassy and filling with tears but as always I'm saved by the bell. Jughead grabbed my hand and kissed my forehead before leading me into the morgue.

We went inside and found Dr.Curdle Jr. standing over a corpse but once he saw us he quickly threw the tarp back over it.

"Ms.Cooper? Mr.Jones? What are you two doing here?" He said quickly almost as if he was hiding something.

"I'm here to see my mother... Her body should have been brought in yesterday." I said slowly the pain very audible. "I have small bills as you always ask for..." I spoke again.

"That won't be necessary she is your mother after all." He stated quietly turning back to the body on the table in front of us. He waved for us to step closer and I took only a half step so that I still wasn't close enough to touch her. I felt Jughead's arms slowly wrap around me as Dr. Curdle Jr. pulled the tarp back. Revealing my mother, eyes closed with a wound in her chest. Her blood was dark and dried all over her white coat that she was wearing. She didn't even look like my mother. She was lifeless and pale and her face was slightly contorted in pain.

I couldn't take it anymore and turned around in Jughead's arms and cried into his chest. I heard Dr. Curdle Jr. say something about being stabbed and bleeding out but I was only focused on my tears. They continued to pour even as Jug walked us out of the morgue and sat us down on a bench outside. The air somehow seemed colder than when we went inside and between crying and the cool air I was shaking. Jughead whispered comforting things in my ear as I cried and shivered. But it didn't have the same effect as before.

"She died in pain Jug" I cried "She was stabbed and bled to death, alone in her own house. I should have been with her and-and it should have been me..." I continued sobbing and wailing on.

But I was cut off by Jughead pulling away looking slightly angry and saying, "No Betty! It shouldn't have been you! It shouldn't have been anyone but as much as I hate this she's gone, not you. But thank god you weren't there and that it wasn't you because I couldn't live knowing that you were gone. I love you too much to ever lose you Betty and I can not live without you. Do you get that? You are my reason for existence if your gone so am I." He yelled as he stood up. "Betty I know you are hurting and so am I but you can't say things like that to me... " he spoke softer this time with him helping me to my feet so he could hug me.

"I'm sorry Jug, I just don't know how to feel or what to say. I've been close to the terrible things that happen in this town but this is different, this is my mom and she was the first victim." I spoke sadly into his chest.

"I know I'm sorry Betts, let's head to Pop's to meet Archie and Veronica." He said grabbing my hand and walking in the direction of our beloved dinner. It was silent as we walked until Jughead spoke again, "What makes you think she's only the first victim?"

"When is it ever just one in this town Jug?"

When we entered Pop's we saw Veronica and Archie sitting in our usual booth by the windows. I've always thought of Pops as a safe space. When you are seated inside eating burgers and drinking milkshakes that nothing can really be that wrong. When you look out the window you are just seeing an illusion of what could happen and not of what is. But as I sat down across from Veronica I realized that all of that was a lie.

"Hey Betty, how are you holding up?" Veronica said after we had sat in silence for a few seconds.

"I'm ok all things considered. I have my moments but right now I'm fine." I answered hoping that my friends wouldn't continue to walk on eggshells around me for much longer because that was only making me feel worse.

Suddenly Pop Tate walked up to us to take our order. I was actually hungry considering I hadn't really eaten in 24 hours. "I'll have my usual please," We all said in unison, this happened every time we ate at Pop's together.

"Ok kids coming right up!" He said taking a few steps away from our table before turning back around and looking me straight in the eyes, "Betty I'm really sorry about your mom I always loved you Cooper girls." Pop added sadly.

"Thank you Pop that means a lot." I replied trying desperately to give him a sad smile but I think it still came out as a frown. Pop then walked away and we all sat in silence again.

"So what did you find out at the morgue?" Archie asked timidly.

I stayed quiet so Jughead spoke for me, "Alice was stabbed in the chest and bled out. That's all we know. My dad won't tell me anything else that he found out from Sheriff Keller. He doesn't even want us investigating but it's us so that's not gonna happen."

"So we know basically nothing," I added rolling my eyes.

Veronica sat thinking for a moment, you could see it on her face that she was deep in thought but her eyes lit up when she said "We could help you guys! I know you two are the investigative duo but what's two more?"

I looked at Jughead for approval which instead he gave me his usual smirk and a shoulder shrug in response. "That would be awesome V! The more people investigating the better. We just can't get caught by Fp." I responded quickly.

"That shouldn't be too hard I am a master sleuth after all," Veronica stated sitting up a little straighter.

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A.N This story will eventually have different POV's but for right now it is staying in Betty's.